Regret and What to Do about It

Neil Roese in If Only makes a profound distinction of two kinds of regret:

• Regret of action.
• Regret of inaction.

Simply put:

• Wish I had not done something (action).
• Wish I had done something (inaction).

Or:

• Wish I hadn’t (action).
• Wish I had (inaction).

Or:

• Things I should not have done (action).
• Things I should have done (inaction).

Whichever, ouch!

• Mistakes made (action).
• Opportunities missed (inaction).

That translates theologically into:

• Sins of commission (action)
• Sins of omission (inaction)

But, there doesn’t have to be regret. Flip things around.

Opportunities abound:

• Past opportunities: What might have been?
• Future opportunities: What can be?

Jim Rohn speaks of two types of pain in life:

• Pain of regret.
• Pain of discipline.

Weighs:

• Regret weighs tons.
• Discipline weighs ounces.

Choices:

• Pain now (discipline)
• Pain later (regret)

Advice:

• Repent over regrets.
• Throw off the weights.
• See and cease the opportunity.
• Run after it with patience and persistence.
• Look to Jesus. He will help! (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Or:

• Forget the past.
• Make the best of the future (Philippians 3:13).

Live life to God’s fullest potential with a determination of no regrets in mind.

photo credit: cesarastudillo via photopin cc